The Republican file photoMickel Martinez of Springfield Post 21, shown here in a game last month against rival East Springfield Post 420, played a strong game at first base in a re-match Monday at Forest Park.

It’s hard to imagine the Springfield Post 21 American Legion baseball team that played Monday is the same one that committed six errors in a Central-West sectional playoff loss to North Adams on Sunday.

Post 21 turned in a perfect defensive performance behind pitcher Tyler Pinkham, who went nine innings for the first time in his life in a 2-0 win over East Springfield Teddy Bear Pools Post 420 at Forest Park in Springfield.

The win kept Post 21 alive in Bracket A, where it will once again play North Adams, an 18-5 loser to Northbridge. The game will be played at Tivnan Field in Worcester at 4. The winner will play Northbridge at 7:30.

Post 420’s season ended with its second loss in the double-elimination tournament.

“They played a great game and you’ve just got to tip your hat on days like these,” Post 420 coach Eamonn Collins said. “We didn’t do ourselves any favors by not scoring. No team has ever won a baseball game by getting shut out.”

Teddy Bear Pools was robbed of a few hits, including a potential home run that would have put it ahead 3-2 – if not for the great defense of Post 21.

“We’ve played good defense all year, so I don’t know what it was (Sunday), we just didn’t have it,” Post 21 coach Jeff Garrow said. “I knew we’d bounce back, because in the second half of the season, we’ve really stepped it up.

“This team has a lot of confidence, they don’t panic out there and they play relaxed baseball. Everybody gets along on this ball club and it’s a special thing for me to coach them because of that.”

The Post 21 defense definitely plays as one cohesive unit. Shortstop Steve Martinez was outstanding with six assists and two putouts, including a diving catch on a line drive in the ninth inning that saved a run. First baseman Mickel Martinez was sharp, digging a couple of throws out of the dirt, and the outfield was flawless.

“We’ve got the nastiest outfield around and I love them,” Pinkham said.

Pinkham, who struck out three and walked just one, only allowed three base runners through the first six innings. He allowed back-to-back singles with one out in the seventh, but induced an infield fly and got out of the inning with a ground ball.

Pinkham yielded a leadoff single to Cory Russell to open the eighth before issuing his only walk with two outs. Zack Bombard then hit a blast to deep center field that had home-run distance, but center fielder Erik Garcia tracked it down, running past outfielders on the opposing diamond for the catch.

Pinkham gave up another leadoff single in the ninth, this one to Joe Adona, but stranded him at second for the complete-game win.